Fowstie has an eye infection! They say he should be fine in a week or so! $107 later...o.O...
Everybody make sure to read the notice before the chapter. It's the thing titled Important.
xKokurox: "Get off your lazy ass"? (scowls) Oh now you've done it. No, I don't have a study hour. Bleh...of course, religion could probably be considered one, but it still has a final...You want to...marry chapter 10? Um...I guess that would be all right. (shrugs) It's different, but I think I could live with that. Happy honeymoon! I'll send flowers...Like Marik and Malik? So do I. (laughs) They're so evil! Don't like Kura/Yami? (laughs) You'll see...review again. (without insulting my ass-.-) Love ya!
Satra: Yes, you have that correct: Marikand Malik left without the rod. Yes, you'll be seeing them again very soon. Bakura's cover getting blown? Nah. Not really. Just read the notice I mentioned. Thanks for the concern about Von Fowst. He sends you a rattie snuggle of gratitude! Yes I have a car. I actually just got my license...heh. I'm a bit late, I know. Not too eager to drive, really. I'll be 18 in less than a month, too. o.O...yah...anyhoo, review again! Love ya!
dragonlady222: Umm...Ryou coming back?...wait about, oh seven or eight chappies to get any sort of answer on that. (grins happily) Heh. Thanks for the compliments. Review again! (hugs)
StormySkys: (laughs) Looks like you might win the root beer, but I'll still try! (smirk) No, Malik pretty much figured Bakura would dislike that...embrace. Yes, Kura kicks ass. About the others not liking Marik...won't be explained for quite some time. Just go with it for now. Good question though! It'll be answered...a long way away...Review again! Love ya!
Miyosuke: Awe! you have ratties too? (smiles happily) My car and rat are both going to be fine. Thanks for the support with that. Thanks for the compliment on the poem. It's one of my favs of mine...which sounds weird, but anyhoo...Want to know Malik's background? You get some in this chappie. Good luck on your exams too! Review again! Love ya!
Freak in the Shadows: Heh. Yes, Malik is a pervert. Love ya!
Bluegrass Elf: I cheer on Bakura in that scene too. You can guess pretty much right away what Marik's up to. Malik conceals a lot of his true intentions though. (smirk) Review again! love ya!
Dreaming Child: (sigh) You people are all so clever...but no. Read the little blurblebelow for some more explanation. I've got some...plots...(cackles) Haha! Bakura chew toy! (squeaks) Love ya!
Silver Mirror: (laughs) I loved your reaction to that chappie. So...enthusiastic! Thanks for all the praise on our two lovely psychos. I hope you're equally as pleased by their appearance in this chappie. Love ya! Review again!
blackalbino: " My actual reaction was closer to this: OH MY GOD SLIMY CREEPY FREAKY PEOPLE AND THERE ARE TWO OF THEM" Hahaaha! That's awesome! I like well-written bad guys too...am I doing all right? Spell will cause trouble, you say? Hmm...(smiles secretly) Review again! Love ya!
Freedom of Darkness: Wow. VERY enthusiastic opening to your review. Thanks for the loving tenderness on Von Fowst. He sends you a musty-male rat cuddle! (Freedom of Dark: o.O...) Hehe! Review again! Love ya!
Wishfull Thinker: Thanks for your concern on Von Fowst. He sends a lovely rat snuggle! Yay! Wondering if Malik and Marik know about Bakura's facade? (smirk) Not telling. Bwahahaha!...cliffhangers make the world go round! Thanks for the sympathies of my exam crap! Love ya! Review again!
I shall dedicate this chapter to Wishfull Thinker, Freedom of Darkness, Miyosuke, and Satra. Thanks for your concerns on Fowstie! I thank you! (If I missed someone who mentioned him, my apologies.)
Important: I would like to take this opportunity to clear up some confusion. (I kinda have to since it really isn't explained too well in the story itself…o.O) The spell gives yamis and their hikaris separate forms. You guys all got that, I know. (smiles) What needs to be explained is that Bakura can get his own form. It'll be a more muscular Bakura-like form. (basically what he looks like when he takes control of Ryou…all buffed up…swoons) The body of Ryou would just be soulless then. Basically the spell gives the yami's separate forms. It doesn't matter whether the hikari is present or not…don't ask me to explain it all. It's very…complicated…-.-; (sighs) Argue with me, question me…it doesn't matter. I'm sticking with it. (tosses hair that's too short to be tossed) Hmm…I'll have to work on that one…Why must I overcomplicate everything? Anyhoo, that's all. Continue.
Split
Cut down the middle
Lost in between
Shadows of persons
That used to have been.
Chapter 11: Separate Lives
(Yami's POV)
Yugi and I are putting the argument behind us. It won't help the situation at all if we let it remain between us, especially with Marik and Malik in the picture now. We're carefully looking over the spells and ingredients the two lunatics gave us. I'm in my spirit form, 'sitting' on the bed next to Yugi.
"This actually…might work," I breathe, staring down at everything that we've spread across the floor of Yugi's bedroom.
Yugi nodded. "I still can't believe it…should we try it?"
I sigh heavily, brow still knit with concern. Should we?
"Perhaps we should inform Mr. Mutou what we're planning, just for precautions…" I mumble.
He leans down and picks up a little pack of powder that is one of the key ingredients.
"I dunno. It seems pretty simple. You just combine these three things then do a few enchantments. Seems pretty straightforward...Let's set it up."
(Bakura's POV)
I sit in the corner of Ryou's bedroom, all the lights in the house off. I like the dark. I guess I'm just used to it. Back in Egypt darkness was my daytime. A person with pure white hair in ancient Egypt tended to stand out. Then there was my scar…I lived in the tombs, only coming out when the sun had vanished from the sky. Sometimes I would sneak out of the tombs in time to see the glowing orb's decent into the sands on the horizon.
I look down at the small velvet bag in my hand. I haven't opened it. There's no reason to. I can't use it. If I take a separate form I won't be able to pretend to be Ryou. I'll have to wait until I've crushed the pharaoh and his companions before I can get a stronger, more me body. It's a pity too. I hate Ryou's puny form. It's pathetic.
I sigh, standing up. I'm still getting used to the fact that every one of the body's needs now is my responsibility. Eating has been a cinch since I've recovered from the flu. My main sources of nourishment in the past were rats and other creatures that inhabited the tombs. When I went into towns, which happened maybe once every few months, and actually interacted with the citizens was the only time I ate what most would consider a decent meal. So yeah, the food's a tremendous improvement, to say the least.
I'd better keep this bag in a safe place though. Who knows? This might turn out to be a trick. I'll have to wait and see what happens to Yami when he tries it out. I know he will. Those fools always rush into anything that appears to be promising. Well, if it annihilates him I can just go and dispose of this right then. If not…I'll crush him, and then I'll get my own body. It's all just a matter of time now.
(Mr. Mutou's POV)
I hum an old tune that's on the radio as I start stacking the dirty dishes into the soapy water. This certainly has been an interesting week. I'm going to make extra sure that the door to the shop is securely locked when one of us isn't in the shop. I do not want another incident like the one earlier today to occur. Those two boys that came in…I feel myself shudder. Yugi and the others gave me the—for lack of better words—heads up on them. I have a feeling that's not the last we'll be seeing of them either.
I'm worried about this whole "other body" thing for the yamis. Even if it does work, what are the aftereffects? It almost came about too conveniently; right after Ryou and Yugi's argument over Yami's relationship with Ryou. I can't help but feel unease about that. Perhaps I should…
"GRANDPA!" Yugi's voice screeches.
"What? Yugi!" I yell, racing as fast as I can to the stairs and up to his bedroom.
I burst into the room to an amazing sight. Yugi's attempting to sit, appearing to have fallen off his bed. He's breathing is uneven, eyes wide and pain-filled. What's even more shocking is the other figure on the floor. Yami's lying next to my grandson, naked and breathing harshly in his very own body, blood dripping from the side of his mouth, eyes rolling. Oh god, they used the spells…
(Bakura's POV)
I jump slightly at the sound of the telephone. Sighing, I struggle to my feet, striding into the hallway and down the stairs.
"Hello?" I ask, holding the device up to my ear.
"Ryou? We did it! Can you believe it?" A voice shrieks into my ear. Ow.
"Who is this?" I ask confusedly, holding the phone slightly away from my head should the person start yelling again.
"Yugi!" My mind clicks. Oh Ra, they did it!
"How? When? Is he all right?" I ask excitedly into the phone. Can you blame me? I mean, if this actually worked…
"About an hour ago. He was in pretty bad shape at first but he's fine now. Grandpa's making him eat something." Yugi positively beams. I feel a wave of relief wash over me.
No, I was not worried about the dolt. I was praying to all the gods that this was true, and it is! I'll finally be free. Also, I want to crush Yami. Having Marik and Malik take him out—although it would end up with the same results—would not be nearly as satisfying as doing the job myself.
"…he looks just like he did when he took control of my body," Yugi continues blabbering, but I'm not really paying attention.
To think I could be out of here in a matter of months! It's just the best feeling I've had in…a loooong time, let's put it that way.
"Well?" Huh?
"I'm sorry, Yugi. What'd you ask?" I sigh, having zoned out.
He giggles. "That's fine. I was just wondering if you and Bakura were going to do the spells too…now that we know it works and everything…"
"I suppose so," I grimace.
Great. Now this means I can't pretend to switch from Ryou to me anymore. I'll have to be fulltime Ryou. Ugh. This is going to be hard.
"Did you want us to come over so he doesn't…"
"You needn't bother, Yugi," I answer quickly. "I can handle it."
"Oh…well…if you're sure. Yami wanted to come over to make sure Bakura doesn't…"
"Yugi, tell him to trust me on this one please," I sigh.
"…"
"Yugi?" I ask, hoping they aren't coming over.
"Ryou." A deeper voice says. I feel myself jump.
"Oh, hi Yami. How—how are you feeling?" I stammer.
"A bit fatigued at the moment. I'll be all right though," I can hear the barely contained excitement in his voice. He sounds very drained though. It must have taken quite a bit out of him.
"Good," I grin. Ra, he sounds like a child when he's wound up.
"Ryou," he says more seriously now. Oh boy. Here it comes. "I would really prefer being there when you and Bakura…um…separate."
I frown. "Yami, we've been over this. You need to trust me on this. Nothing bad is going to happen to me."
He sighs heavily. "You have no idea how much I want to believe that, but…"
"Yami, you being there will only be more of a hindrance. You'll get him all worked up and then you two will start fighting in your new bodies and kill each other and all of it will have been for nothing," I state firmly. Heh. That's what would happen, too.
"I…just be careful," he whispers softly. I feel a lump rise in my throat.
"All right…um…I'll see you later then," I say quietly, hanging up the phone.
Ra, my heart's pounding. What the devil is this? I take a deep breath, shaking my head. It's the whole new body thing. Yes, that's it. I've just gotten myself worked up over the whole revelation. I take a quivering breath, heading back up the dark stairwell.
(Yami's POV)
I sigh, sitting back on the couch, handing the phone to Yugi.
"He hung up?"
I nod. "Well, I guess we'll let him do this on his own."
"What?" Yugi exclaims. "How can you do that? You know what his yami's like!"
Mr. Mutou clears his throat. "Yes, he does know what Bakura's like. Yami also knows Ryou better than we do. We need to trust him on this, Yugi."
My light nods slowly, eyes downcast. "I just…don't feel right leaving him alone with Bakura."
I wrap an arm around him. "Ryou can handle himself. Besides," I grin. "If Bakura's new body is in any condition like I was when I first got mine then Ryou won't have much trouble."
Mr. Mutou chuckles. "I still can't believe you boys did that. Let me know beforehand if you ever plan on doing something that extreme again."
Yugi smiles somewhat sheepishly. "Sorry Grandpa."
The man waves his hand dismissively. "Off to bed, you two. Yugi, get a sleeping bag for Yami for now. We'll have to go clothing shopping for you as well," he says turning to me. "It wouldn't be appropriate to wander around in that."
I grin and look down at the fuzzy, blue bathrobe I'm wearing. The only piece of nighttime clothing that comes relatively close to fitting me. I sigh. I shouldn't be surprised. Normal stature is a rarity in this household. I also have the leather Ryou bought me, but I don't want to wear that to bed; so I'll at least have something to wear tomorrow.
Yugi giggles as we head upstairs. "This is so great! Did you ever imagine this happening? Much less because of Marik and Malik?"
I shake my head. "I could almost thank them." Almost.
"Well, now that's solved a lot of problems. Plus, you can attend school with me now!" Yugi continues to jabber on and on. I smile. He's so energetic.
"Boys, lights out," Mr. Mutou says sternly, sticking his head in the room.
"Right," Yugi bounds over and switches the light off.
I sigh, exhausted. That took at lot out of my strength. Hasn't seemed to have affected Yugi that much, though. That should mean Ryou will be able to hold his own against the tomb robber. Comforted by that thought, I lay back on the sleeping bag Yugi's set up for me on the floor.
"…and wait until my teacher sees you! She won't know what….!" Yugi continues to babble.
"Mouths shut as well, boys!" Mr. Mutou yells from his own room. Bless that man.
Yugi giggles, thankfully settling back on his bed. "'Night Yami."
I grin at the feeling of the pillow under my head. My own body. Ra, I don't want to go to sleep. I'm afraid this is a dream…I yawn. Well, maybe I can…
(Malik's POV)
Marik sits back in the bar booth, sipping a bottle of alcohol. No, he's technically not of age yet. Not that it matters in this bar. One can get away with anything here. It's one of the dirtiest places one can go in this second-rate city. I smirk, lighting up a cigarette.
"So what's the plan now, yami?" Marik asks, glancing over at me with those intense violet eyes of his. They're one of his best qualities, I must admit.
I smirk. "We wait, light."
I look out over the bar, scanning the crowd. There are a number of women who are without a doubt prostitutes, 'flirting' with the lugs playing pool. Sometimes people go at it on a table. Occasionally people die here. It's all routine. The stench of unwashed bodies, marijuana, cigars, and cheap beer is looming throughout the air in a puce haze. I feel myself grin. I love this atmosphere. It's so…repulsive.
"Do you think they'll use the spells?" Marik continues, toying with a rather large knife he found under the table. I feel myself frown. He can be so irritating, needing to know every single detail. I sigh, rubbing my eyes with my fingers.
"I've no doubt. Our dear thief won't, not until he's sure…" I grin, blowing a whiff of smoke into the already foul air.
Marik looks up at the mention of the tomb robber, eyes filled with anticipation. He's the one who originally found the thief in this time. Technically, Bakura found him, having tracked the Millennium rod down with the ring. I internally smirk. I knew of the white-haired demon long before this modern era.
I was the head of the tomb keepers back in Ancient Egypt; a prominent post that was sought by many. I lived in a magnificent household, adorned with every luxury imaginable. One of the most trusted advisors of one pharaoh Atemu, even. I had his blessings, oh yes. They meant nothing to me but certainly impressed everyone else. Of course, I was the enemy of the pharaoh, no one should ever doubt that…
Nothing much had been going on at the time that sparked any interest in me. I mean, guarding a bunch of tombs? It was all these dead bastards. They weren't going anywhere. The tombs were the most secure in the entire kingdom, so thieves were few, save for the occasional amateurs. We always caught them, throwing them into the dungeons to be subject to a wide range of torture procedures. I feel a shiver of delight go down my back as I remember how they wailed and howled…up until their last breaths.
Then there was him. The King of Thieves, they called him. A worthy title, even I must admit. He'd broken into numerous tombs all over the country, but when he came to my tombs it became a personal vow of mine to capture him; not because he was stealing from the pharaoh but for the thrill of the chase…
"So how soon do you think Bakura will get his own body?" Marik presses, drawing me from my thoughts. I'm going to kill this kid someday.
"Don't worry about that, light," I smirk. Marik doesn't realize…the pharaoh doesn't realize…they're all complete fools. Not that I have a problem with that. It's intriguing, really.
"What about the rod?" Marik continues. Take a deep breath…
"The one you so guardedly let the pharaoh snatch?" I growl. Marik winces, cowering back a bit. That's right, he'd better be terrified.
"I said I was sorry…"
"And you think I care?" I snarl. He quiets. "Marik, did it even occur to you in the slightest that that was our main source of power? That maybe, just perhaps, you needed to make sure we held on to it?"
He quivers, not meeting my eyes. "I…"
I snarl, inhaling a long breath of smoke. He goes quiet, fearful of angering me further. He's seen what I'm capable of, Millennium item or not.
"Wha…what do we do now?" He whispers, flinching when I turn and glare at him.
"We wait," I sneer.
Indeed we shall. We'll keep an eye on the pharaoh…and the thief as well. I'm quite intrigued by him. It's not about romance with me. It's all predator lust—both sexual and bloodlust. I smirk. It won't be long now.
"Should I get back to my post then?" Marik leers, taking another shot of his drink.
"Patience, light. Patience," I chuckle. "We'll have what we want soon enough. Give it time. Our dear thief is plotting something."
Marik's ears perk at this. "Against whom?"
I narrow my eyes, watching the cloud of smoke drift off my cigarette.
"I'm not quite sure yet." Though I have a hunch.
He frowns. "You mean you don't know?"
"Marik," I growl.
Before he can react I lunge forward, grabbing his arm roughly. He winces when I twist it cruelly, holding it down against the table. In my other hand is the knife. I let it glide slowly over the underside of his arm where the flesh is most delicate, a steady flow of blood gliding down onto the table. He bites his lip, staring at my face, eyes pleading.
"Not another word," I snarl, releasing his arm and pulling him into a violent kiss, biting down hard on his lip.
He moans, reaching out to touch me. I roughly grab a handful of his sandy hair and yank his head back until it's at the point of his neck snapping. He gasps, struggling to breathe.
"Y-yami…" He chokes eyes wide with pain.
"Never…ever… question me…again," I hiss into his ear, brutally shoving him away.
I stand up, wrapping my cape around my form. He sits up, body trembling, blood covering his arm.
"Time to go, light," I smirk, striding toward the door, Marik struggling after me leaving a trail of blood behind him.
Yay! Another chappie up! Just finished typing chappie 18! I'm finally getting a bit ahead of all of you! The last chapter had about zero humor! (tears) Soooo much drama and meanness! (is that a word?) o.O...
Review again!